Queen Camilla reportedly extended warmth and acceptance to Meghan Markle through subtle gestures when the American actress joined the royal family, royal historian Andrew Morton reveals in his book Meghan: A Hollywood Princess. In a departure from standard royal protocol, Camilla displayed rare gestures of affection, including holding hands and exchanging a goodbye kiss with Meghan at Prince Charles’ 70th birthday celebration in 2018. Morton described these moments as powerful signals of Meghan’s early welcome into the family, noting, “Camilla was signaling to the world that Meghan was now ‘one of us.’”
Camilla’s support for Meghan echoed her past guidance for Kate Middleton, whom she helped introduce to the nuanced world of royal protocol. However, despite Camilla’s initial approval, Meghan later shared the challenges she faced in adjusting to royal life. In a candid Netflix documentary, she reflected on the difficulty of feeling accepted, explaining, “I tried so hard… And it still wasn’t good enough. And you still don’t fit in.”
The early unity within the royal family gradually gave way to tension, ultimately leading Prince Harry and Meghan to step back from royal duties in January 2020 and move to Montecito, California. Richard Kay, a confidant of Princess Diana, noted that palace insiders were “particularly nervous” about Harry’s views on Camilla, given the historical context surrounding Charles and Diana’s marriage.
Now, as Meghan and Harry focus on building a family life in California with their children Archie and Lilibet, the initial warmth shown by Camilla contrasts sharply with their current distance from the royal family. Reflecting on their new life, Meghan expressed a desire for her children to “experience freedom… to travel, fall in love, and just be happy.” Harry echoed this vision, adding, “I want them to see the world as I would love it to be… free from the worries we carry.”
